Find seasoned pros at tradwebdirectory.com — or test any contractor’s proposed solutions for these common problems.

Cracked plaster walls

Fissures and chips don’t mean you have to replace the handmade plaster with prefab wallboard (at $500 or more a room). That usually destroys the original wood trim, says David James, a contractor who works on old homes in Edenton, N.C. Instead, a restoration-minded pro can reattach the old plaster using special washers and then apply a plaster-like skim coat over the top, saving up to $200 a room — and your trim work.

Drafty windows

Old windows rattle, are hard to operate, and let in icy drafts. Sure, you could replace them for a few hundred each, but for units that maintain the character — and value — of an older home, you’ll pay $1,000 or more a pop.

Have problem windows overhauled instead, for around $100 to $200 each. A carpenter will remove built-up paint, replace hardware, wax the rails, and weather-strip gaps, making the windows easier to open and close, and about 80% as efficient as new ones.

Squeaky wood floors

Time — and multiple refinishings — takes a toll on old floors, sometimes leaving them deafeningly creaky.

A good woodworker can stop floorboards from rubbing together for about $200 to $500, usually by sinking micro-head screws through them and into the framing below.

The screws don’t require putty, says Fossel: “When you wash your floor, the wood will expand and hide the holes.”

Loose stair banister

Don’t let a hack replace a rickety handrail. Spindles can be tightened at each step, and there’s often a hidden pocket in the “newel” post at the base of the stairs. Inside is a nut that will firm up the post, strengthening the whole banister.

“Like so many old-house issues,” says D.C. contractor Stephen Ortado, who has worked on the White House, “this is a simple $200 fix for someone who knows what he’s doing.”